Telecommunications towers are a ubiquitous part of the modern landscape. As is known, telecommunications towers carry radio frequency (RF) and microwave antennas at elevated altitudes to support cellular telephone and other high-speed wireless communications. Tower designers typically limit the maximum weight of equipment that a tower can hold and the maximum wind load to which a tower can be subjected, such that the tower operates with adequate safety margin.
As demands increase for new equipment, e.g., to support new carriers and/or new technologies, tower operators can build new towers and/or install additional equipment on existing towers. As building new towers often entails the purchase or lease of new real estate, which can be expensive, operators often prefer to load their existing towers more heavily. To avoid exceeding design limits on weight, wind load, etc., operators may reinforce the structure of their existing towers, so that they are capable of safely withstanding the increased load.
Tower reinforcement generally entails removing existing antennas from a tower and applying reinforcements, e.g., by adding steel members to the tower and/or by replacing existing members with alternatives composed of stronger materials. Once the tower has been reinforced, the antennas are put back on the tower. New antennas or other equipment may be added.